Winners of the 2003 University of Hawaii Student Invention Competition Announced

Seven University of Hawaiʻi students received awards for their entries in the 2003 UH Student Invention Competition held in May 2003.

Organized by the UH Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development (OTTED), the competition encouraged the creation of student inventions that solve a real world problem or need with a practical solution.

The purpose of the competition was to encourage student inventorship and creativity and to allow students to combine inventive thinking with their science, technology and mechanical skills. The competition complemented classroom learning by providing an opportunity for students to apply concepts taught in the classroom in creating useful application as well as stimulated the creation of inventions that could have commercial benefit.

Students have the opportunity for commercialization, patent protection and marketing their inventions to companies.

Mike Seper, a junior at UH Mānoa won first place with his invention, ColdSpot Cold Pack, an instant re-usable ice pack.

Blaine Murakami, a UH Mānoa sophomore, placed third with his invention, Mobility Aid for the Visually Impaired, a computerized laser-based objection recognition system.

Kenneth Hill, a senior at the University of Hawaiʻi-West ʻOahu placed fourth with his invention, Aquatic Boardsports Stunt Ramp, a ramp for aquatic boardsports riders to launch from to do aerial stunts.

Reuntae Juliano, a sophomore at UH Mānoa placed fifth with Flip Case, a case that holds two pairs of eyeglasses.

OTTED is a service-oriented revenue center organized for the purpose of helping UH faculty, staff, and students identify, protect, and commercialize the university‘s intellectual property assets so that they can benefit society and spur economic growth for the state and national economies. OTTED is responsible for managing University of Hawaiʻi inventions and discoveries, and transferring the inventive and valuable discoveries that result from university research to industry to be developed into commercial products.